Rotary power driven broom



Dec. 4, 1962 L. LECHENE ROTARY POWER DRIVEN BROOM 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 31, 1961 INVENTOR. (0 1. law/(M! 4 r reels) Dec. 4, 1962 LECHENE 3,066,343

ROTARY POWER DRIVEN BROOM Filed March 31, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I5 35 l. I

INVENTOR. 0 1. zeal/alt flaw lrraen/A'V United States Patent Office 3,066,343 Patented Dec. 4, 1962 3,066,343 ROTARY POWER DRIVEN BROOM Leo L. Lechene, RD. 1, Box 364, Patton, Pa. Filed Mar. 31, 1961, Ser. No. 99,949 6 Claims. (Cl. 15-180) The present invention relates to a rotary broom, and more particularly to a rotary power driven broom adapted for sweeping street gutters or the like.

Heretofore, various brooms of this type have been constructed, the dilficulty always being in the method of mounting the bristles therefore and securing them in position and with means for expediting the removal of the bristles when the same are to be replaced.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved rotary broom structure with improved means for mounting the brush bristles and for securing the same in position and incorporating an improved assembly by which the bristles may be easily removed and replaced as desired.

These and other objects will be seen from the following specification and claims in conjunction with the appended drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an illustrative street sweeping truck mounting the present rotary broom and with means for eflfecting power rotation thereof.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of the assembled bristle support disc and fins and retaining drive disc partially broken away for illustration, and on an increased scale with respect to FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a section taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary section taken on line 44 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary section taken on line 55 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of the bristle support disc with associated angular fins with a portion of the retaining drive disc broken away for illustration.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a bundle of bristles forming a part of the broom.

It will be understood that the above drawings illustrate merely a preferred embodiment of the invention, and that other embodiments are contemplated within the scope of the claims hereinafter set forth.

The present rotary broom is generally indicated at 11 in FIG. 1 as mounted upon a portion of a truck indicated at T, which truck includes an engine operated means for supporting and journaling the broom for power rotation in the manner hereinafter described.

The present broom assembly includes a rotatable retaining drive disc 12 and supportably suspended thereunder the bristle support disc 13, said drive disc including a hub plate 14 secured thereto by fasteners 20, and including a central apertured hub 15 adapted to receive and being effectively secured to the upright driven shaft 16 suitably keyed thereinto.

Shaft 16 is journaled through the upright fixed sleeve 17 which depends from the power transmission means 18 upon the truck T and with suitable connections not shown by which the shaft 16 journaled within the sleeve 17 is operatively connected to the vehicle engine for power rotation of shaft 16.

As the present invention is primarily directed to the structure of the rotary broom, further description of the power driven means is omitted inasmuch as the power takeoff from the truck engine is conventional.

The drive disc 12 is adjustably secured to the bristle supporting disc 13 by a series of spaced fasteners such as the upwardly extending bolts 21 which are retained against rotation wtihin the disc 13 as at 22, FIG. 3, and which extend up through corresponding apertures in drive disc 12, being effectively secured by the series of nuts 23 and associated lock washers 24.

The bristle support disc includes around its periphery a series of spaced radially extending fins 30, which are formed from the annular plate or flange 26, which extends around the disc 13 and is inclined upwardly and outwardly with respect thereto at an obtuse angle, as best shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.

The rotary drive disc 12 includes an annular bristle hold-down flange 25 which extends around the said holddown disc and is inclined upwardly and outwardly thereof corresponding to the inclination of the fins 30, which in turn correspond to the inclination of the flange or plate 26 from which the said fins 30 are formed.

As hereafter described, and in the preferred embodiment of the invention, the bundle 36 of metal wire bristles, such as shown in FIG. 7 is mounted over each of the fins 30 and in the assembled relationship shown in FIG. 3 retained thereon by the annular retaining ring 27. This ring depends from the undersurface or peripheral edge of the hold-down flange 25 and abuts as at 19 the outer ends of the respective fins 30 for the purpose of securing said bristles against radial outward displacement.

The retaining ring 27 secured to the undersurface of the hold-down flange 25 as by the weld indicated at 28 is the preferred means of assembly. A radial outwardly extending and similarly inclined spacer 29 is arranged between each pair of fins 30, as best illustrated in FIGS. 5

registerable with the leg portions of the adjacent bristles forming a part of the bundle of bristles 36 mounted over each of the above described fins 30 and associated rod 32, as best shown in FIG. 5.

The bundle of bristles above described is specifically shown in perspective in FIG. 7. Each of the above described fins 30 and associated rod 32 serve as a means for supporting one or more bundles of bristles. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the bristles of a single bundle may be so constructed as to occupy the full length of the fins 30, if desired.

Such a single bundle is shown in FIG. 7 and consists of a plurality of thin bank-like strips of spring-like steel or other metal of similar qua ity. While the illustration in the drawing, FIG. 5 and FIG. 7 shows, or appears to be a series of bristle elements forming a single layer, it is contemplated that the bristles may be arranged in a series of layers, such as one or two layers. for illustration.

Strips of stock, all of the same length are first laid laterally in a row. with each bristle element, including a looped portion 37 and a pair of depending legs 38 and 39 of the same length. An individual strip formed into a bristle may have thereover a plurality of additional strios to form the multip e laver as a unit. A number of these units are assembled in side by side relation so that each of the legs of one unit lie in a plane substantially corresponding to all the other like legs of the other units. Thereafter all the legs corresponding to one plane in one unit to one side of the assembly are clamped together .by the cross strips 40 arranged upon opposite sides of leg portions of the adjacent units with their ends respectively secured together as at 41, as by welding or 3 by bolts, to'thus keep the units in a proper alignment, as shown in FIG. 7.

Accordingly with such an assembly, it is relatively simple matter to mount the whole assembly 36 over a particular fin 30 and associated rod 32. If the bundle is of suflicient width, a single bundle only is employed over the fin 30 -32. On the other hand, it is contemplated that the bundles may be mounted on the fins in a series so as to straddle the fin throughout its length with the looped portions 37 of each of the units of the bundle fitting over the upper surface of the rod 32, which overlies the particular fin 30, as best shown in FIG. 5.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the bundles 36 are shown as being constructed of spring steel or like resilient metal.

It is contemplated as a part of the present invention that the bundles may be constructed of a plastic material or may be of straw or other equivalent bristle material, depending upon the desired purpose for which the'broom is to be used.

Suffice to say, however, that the particular bundle of bristles 36 includes the looped portion 37 and wherein the respective leg portions 3839 areretained in a unit by means of the clamps 4 0- 41. Upon assembly of the respective bundles 36 over the fins 30- 32, the rotatable retaining drive disc 12, and including the annular bristle hold-down flange 25, is juxtaposed over the bristle supporting disc 13, and in the assembled relationship shown, it is seen that the annular retaining ring 27 is in registry with the end portions of the respective fins 30, as particularly shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 for securing the bundles of bristles upon the said fins against radial outward displacement and completing the assembled structure, after which the bolts and nuts 21-23 are fixedly secured together so that the plates maintain the assembled relationship shown, FIG. 3.

The assembled broom, as generally indicated at 11, in FIG. 1 and including the apertured hub 15, suitably receives and is keyed to the power driven shaft 16, as at 42 and is otherwise secured in position to thus establish an effective drive between the power driven shaft 16 and the rotatable drive disc 12. A suitable set screw or retaining bolt 43 may be employed, as shown in FIG. 3, if desired, for fixedly retaining the hub 15 with respect to shaft 16. v

The present construction, in view of the inclined fins 30, as an extension of the bristle support plate or disc 13 provides a very effective means for predetermining the outward angularity of the. respective bundles of bristles 36, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3.

. Accordingly, the present assembly, including the similarly inclined hold-down flange 25, which forms a part of the drive disc 12, serves the important function of anchoring the respective bundles of bristles 36 and at the same time predetermining the flaring or outward angularity achieved, as particularly shown in FIGS. 1 and 3.

Ihere are additional advantagesin the present construction in the ease by which the brush is initially constructed and requiring merely the mounting of the loop portions 37 of the particular bundles of bristles 36 over the respective fins after which the drive and retaining plate 1 2-25 is juxtaposed and secured by the respective bolts 21 and nuts 23.

As the bristles wear from time to time and require replacement, it is a relatively simple matter in view of the present construction to accomplish this result. All that is necessary is to merely loosen the nuts 23 around the disc 12, which permits the bristle mounting disc to drop downwardly to such an extent that the retaining ring 27 no longer blocks the ends of the fins 30. This means that the bristles in the respective bundle 36 may be easily displaced radially outward for the removal and replacement of new bristles as desired.

It is also contemplated as a part of the present invention that with the assembled plates 12 and 13 loosened by loosening of the nuts 23, the said plate 13 dropping down sufiiciently on the application of power to the top plate 12, the respective bundle of bristles may be automatically removed from the support disc by centrifugal force, inasmuch as the retaining ring 27 is out of the way when the nuts 23 have been sufficiently loosened.

Having described my invention, reference should now be had to the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a rotary broom, a support disc, a series of spaced radial fins extending therearound inclined upwardly and outwardly thereof, a plurality of bristles, each being bent in a hairpin shape to include a looped portion and legs extending therefrom, said bristles straddling a respective fin and extending downwardly and radially outward, a rotatable retaining drive disc spaced above the support disc and adjustably secured thereto, an annular bristle hold-down flange extending around the drive disc and inclined upwardly and outwardly thereof corresponding to said fins retainingly engaging the looped portions of said bristles, and an annular retaining ring depending from the peripheral edge of the hold-down flange abutting the outer ends of said fins securing said bristles against radial outward displacement.

2. In the rotary broom of claim 1, said fins being inclined at an obtuse angle to said support plate.

3. In a rotary broom as set forth in claim 1, the adjustable securing of said drive disc to said support disc including a series of spaced bolts anchored on said support disc and extending upwardly through said drive disc, and nuts on said bolts whereby on loosening of said nuts said support disc and fins drop below said retaining ring facilitating outward withdrawal of said bristles from said fins.

4. In a. rotary broom as set forth in claim 1, the adjustable securing of said drive disc to said support disc including a series of spaced bolts anchored on said support disc and extending upwardly through said drive disc, and nuts on said bolts whereby on loosening of said nuts said support disc and fins drop below said retaining ring facilitating outward withdrawal of said bristles from said fins, power rotation of said support disc effecting centrifugal displacement of said bristles from said fins.

5. In the rotary broom. of claim 1, a radial similarly inclined spacer between each pair of fins, a cylindrical rod longitudinally overlying each fin along its length and secured thereto, over which the looped portions of said bristles extend.

6. In the rotary broom of claim 1, a radial similarly inclined spacer between each pair of fins, a cylindrical rod longitudinally overlying each fin along its length secured thereto, over which the looped portions of said bristles extend, and a cylindrical spacer rod longitudinally underlying each spacer along its length and secured gilereto, registerable with bristle leg portions on adjacent References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,418,088 Liddell May 30, 1922 2,917,767 Lechene Dec. 22, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 60,590 France Apr. 28, 1954 545,058 Great Britain May 8, 1942 795,171 Great Britain May 21, 1958 

